The Land Built From Ashes
by Athenasisters
Summary: A fanfiction about the lives of Olida and Thomas Mellark, after they've grown up a bit. The story is told through Olida's aka Oli's point of view, as she explains her life and what Panem has become, through her diaries and experiences. Plenty of adventure and some mystery, along with a bit of romance and such. Rated T for some mild language and EEWY kissing.
1. Chapter 1

**Newstory, let's hope this one turns out well and doesn't run out of feul like my others! Uh huh. Well read the summary, that describes (ish) what this will be about :) Ready? Lets begin!  
Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

_**May 26**_

_My brother and I grew up in the place that my mother says used to be called District 12. Now, it's simply called "The Wood."_

_Why is it named that? Honestly, it's pretty obvious once you've visited. The place is surrounded by a huge forest, as is out conjoining community, which used to be District 7. Districts 7 and 12 used to not have any ties, but now they share everything. You see, the communities form a tightly knit clan. When the rebels won the War of Panem, my mother and father, along with a few select others, decided that those in Districts 1 and 2, as well as Capitol citizens, would be tried. Those found guilty would be forced to live in the Outlands, while all innocent would be able to enjoy life in the Communities. _

_You learned at a young age to never mention the Outlands. I soon found out that it was a horrible idea to bring it up for even a split second around my mother. She had approved of them of course, but they brought back her nightmares. And my father would lecture my brother and I, before going off to comfort her._

_My parents are victors of the Hunger Games. The Games may not exist any longer, but we learned about them in school as children, and the remaining victors are still seen as idols._

_No, the Games do not exist, but there is worse. Those in the Outlands face a never-ending nightmare. They are subjecting to a living hell, because they live in an untelevised, Games. _

_Never, ever, does somebody visit the Outlands. Not if they haven't been sentenced there as punishment for a crime._

"Oli, what are you doing?" my younger brother, Thomas, asked as he stepped into my room.

"Writing. Next time can you knock or something? It really isn't polite to just barge into someone's room."

"Oh shut up. Can I see what you were writing?"

"No. Now what do you want?"

"Did I _say_ I wanted anything? No."

"Oh come off it, Tom. Tell me why you're bugging e so that I can get back to my writing."

He sighed, "_Fine_. Mom told me to get you, she wants to show you something."

I rose up, off my chair, then smacked him upside the head.

"_OW!_" he exclaimed, "What was that for?"

"You should have told me right away. Gosh you're dense!"

"Well it's not like I'm doing you any favors. What could Mom show you that's interesting anyways?"

"Oh I don't know, perhaps something from her past? Like a picture of her mysterious sister that we never hear about but apparently died in the war? Or our grandparents? Or, hmmm maybe even something about Gale, whom she never talks about anymore? I mean, come _on_ Thomas! We're teenagers now and we still know nothing about our parents' childhood except for what limited facts they and the textbooks tell us."

"Whatever. Good luck with that, you know as well as I do that any mention of those people will get you a good long lecture from Dad, and cause Mom to hide away in her room for a while."

I huffed and stalked past him, out of the room. Hopefully some good will come out of this day.

**Heehee! I had NO idea what I was going to write at that first author's note! But I think this turned out pretty decent (if not for the disappointing length) if I might say so myself. Let me know what you think! Anyone who's read my Mark of Athena knows that I love reviews ;) ~La**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2.. Well I wanted to say: I'll only be updating this once a week, on Mondays! Also updated that day: My Mark of Athena! Yay! :) Okay, enjoy! ~La  
Disclaimer: Me own Hunger Games? Psch! HAHAHA I wish! :D**

_May 26_

_My mother is mentally unstable at times, but she is still my mother. And can you blame her if she's a little paranoid after everything she's gone through? From what the books say, she was a tribute in the Hunger Games twice, and was the face of the rebellion. From what she told us, her sister died during the war, and her best friend Gale moved away to help life in District 2. She hasn't heard from him since the last night of the war, nor does she believe she ever will again. But she did hear from a friend that he got married at some point. He has a daughter who is twelve, like Thomas is. Maybe one day they will meet eachother._

"What did mom tell you?" Thomas asked me, barging into my bedroom yet again.

"_Tom!_ For crying out loud, is it so hard to _knock_?" I whine, and flick a bit of ink from my pen at him.

"Yes, yes it is. Now what'd she say?"

"Well..."

_~Flashback~_

"Thomas said you wanted to tell me something, Mom?" I say as I step into the living room of our home.

"Olida, you're fourteen now. I know that your father and I have been keeping our past a secret, but when I was eleven I was in charge of providing for my family. I think that you could handle a little bit of information. Don't you?"

"I suppose..." Why did she suddenly decide to tell me all this? Why now?

"You probably think I'm crazy. I know I act like it... I'm sorry." She laughs, smiling grimly at me.

"No, Mom I understand. You've had a difficult life." I reassure her.

"Isn't that the truth... Now Oli, I'm going to ask you not to share any of this with your brother just yet, but if you must, I'll understand."

I nod my head, urging her to go on.

"When I was eleven, my father was in a mining incident. My mother went mute in shock. She stopped taking care of my sister and I, so I did my best to keep us together. There's a long story behind it, really. And over time you'll hear it. Not all today though. Well, while hunting one day when I was twelve, I came across a snare in the woods. Caught in the snare were rabbits. I went to pick one, but that's when I met Gale. He thought I was trying to steal from his traps, you see, and it took us both a while to get used to eachother. Then, after a while we became best friends. Told eachother every and any thing, went hunting all the time. It was the only time we were free to do as we pleased, and the only time we were truly happy."

She stops talking, and I realise that nearly half an hour has passed.

"I think that's enough for today... But I promise you, Oli, no more secrets. Sound good?"

Yes. It did sound good. Fantastic actually, this was my chance to understand my mother better! I nod and head back to my room.

_~Flashback ends~_

"I'm not supposed to tell you yet. Mom said so." I respond to my brother.

He sighs, exasperated. "Who cares? Please Oli! I want to know too!"

"No, Thomas! Now go back to your room or something. I want to finish writing!"

"Still writing, eh? Can I see what you've got to say?"

"No. Now leave!" I say, practically pushing him out of my room.

Why did little brothers have to be so annoying?

I sigh and sit down at my desk.

The world may never know, but at least now I get some peace and quiet to finish this journal entry!

So that's exactly what I do.

**Short, but sweet! I hope... Hehe don't worry, there shall be action soon! Just need to get the background and stuff out first... :D Guess what?! DEMIGOD DIARIES COMES OUT TOMORROW! *Dances* YAYAYAYAYAY! 3 ~La  
ANONS:**

**Peyton Landry: Olida, or Oli... Not Olin! xD Well thank you, and congrats on being my first reviewer! Hope you keep reading!**

**Guest: Of course, I just did! Thanks for the review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**xD Oh the wonderfulness of boredom... Thankyou, happy reviewers that make my world go 'round! Now for the chapter. (ABCDEFG = Linebreak)  
Disclaimer: I don't own Hunger Games, though I wish I did because honestly it's flibbing **_**amazing!**_

_Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if Mother or Father hadn't discovered those berries in their first Games. Would there never have been a rebellion? Would I even exist? I guess I'll never really know... There's a lot of things I won't ever know. At least now that Mother is trying to reach out and talk to me, I can learn more. The history of the Communities fascinates me, and Tom teases me for it. He doesn't understand my need for answers... I just want to know where I come from._

_Getting side-tracked here._

_What I wanted to say earlier, was that we got a visit from Aunt Annie today. She didn't bring her son, since he's off studying in one of the other Communities. He wants to be a doctor, though I can't imagine why._

_Aunt Annie and Mother retreated to my parents' room, and Father told Tom and I to go outside to the Meadow until supper. _

_No one ever says it, but Annie is even more unstable than Mother. The rumours (not that I believe them, of course) say that Annie went crazy after her Games, and got even worse after her husband, Finnick O'dair, died in the Capitol invasion._

_I feel bad for her, but based on what Samon (her son) told me, she was even more absent than my mother was when it came to parenting. I had very limited sympathy for her._

_A mother should always be there for her child, right?_

_I gue_

ABCDEFG

I hear a knock at my door, and sigh in exasperation. Will that boy _ever_ learn? I mean, I put a sign on my door clearly stating that I'm busy, and to come back later.

"What _now_, Tom?" I say, annoyed.

The door opens a crack.

"Olida?" my mother asks hesitantly.

Oops.

"Hi, Mom," I say and rise from my creaky wooden chair, "what's up?"

"The sky. What type of question is that anyways?"

"It's just a saying, a kinder version of 'what do you want?'" I laugh.

"Oh," she says and smiles slightly at me. Wow, she has a nice smile... Shame I barely ever get a chance to see it.

"So what's up?" I ask again, patiently.

"It's been a few days... Did you want to resume our conversation from the other night?"

"What about Thomas? His room is right next to mine, he'd hear us."

"Your brother left an hour ago to play with Corin."

Corin is probably Tom's bestfriend, and that's saying alot since my brother seems to be very popular at the local school. The other boy lives about two houses down the road (or field?), and has black-as-night hair with pale, grass green eyes. They hangout almost every day, except for when Corin and his family went into another of the Communities to visit family. Originally, his parents were from District Seven, so naturally they ended up in Community Three with the rest of their District, and Districts 12 and 13.

"He did? I'm surprised he didn't make a point to come in and bug me before leaving. He usually does..." I say, and grimace.

My mother actually _laughs_ which is probably the strangest and most wonderful event of the day.

"Does he really annoy you that much?" she asks me.

"Yes."

"I thought your father and I raised you two better than that... Oh well."

She didn't help raise us _half_ as much as my father did, but I decide to let it slide. "So how are we going to do this? The history lesson?" I question.

"I won't bore you with my talking as much today, instead I thought that it might be good if you asked me questions on what you wanted to know."

"Really?! That's great!" I exclaim, then decide that might've sounded a bit too eager... "I mean... Uh..."

She cut off my useless rambling. "What do you want to know?"

Oh, where to begin? "Gale. If you two were so close, why don't you ever talk anymore? To him or about him? And how come we've never met him?"

Guilt flickers across her features, but she masks it quickly.

"Your father and Gale didn't get along the greatest.. They were civil for the most part, and maybe even friends for a bit, but they both were fighting over one thing.. And it didn't work out too well for Gale."

"Was it you?"

She hesitates, "Yes..."

"And... You chose Dad, which made Gale sad, so he moved away?"

"I think so."

She looks gultier than ever, and genuinely sorry; It's sad to see her this way; I go over and give her a hug.

"You alright?" I ask.

"For the most part. I feel silly that you're the one comforting _me_ though."

"Hey, I don't mind"

And I don't. I feel like, for the first time in my life, I actually understand part of my mom's pain.

It's strange, and different, and new, but also nice... In a weird way.

**That... was probably one of the longest chapters I've ever typed without having a draft, or trying. I will say that I am genuinely proud of myself at this moment! Yay! Even if Katniss and Peeta are incredibly OC... Oh well... :P See yous next week! Don't forget to review! xD ~La**

**ANONS**

**Peyton Laundry: Oh no! You got a crack in your Kindle? O.o That stinks... Well thanks for making the effort to review anyways, and thankyou! I'm glad you like the storyline even if it's completely random! Let me know if you have any suggestions!**

**YourMovingBuddy: Ace, why dont you just use the account? :P What if I don't want to be an author? (Even if I do, after I make a small fortune off of being an Actuarian...) Glad you like my stories so much, after you get settled in you should write some too! I miss you like crazy, can't wait for this weekend to come! School is Hades, but I'll live. Good luck with yours! Hurry home!**


	4. Chapter 4

**And we're on! In 3- 2- 1- Action! Okay, I have no idea why I wanted to put that there. Enjoy th chapter! Happy Monday! (Not)**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Hunger Games, would I really be on here? Well maybe... Just to mess with people I guess.. However, sadly I don't own any of it. Darn...**

_I still don't know much about Mother and Father's childhood relationship, but if Mother and Gale were so close, why would she choose Father? _

_Why was I left with so many questions? Every time one of them was answered, another pathway appeared. It was neverending, there would always be more to discover. I don't know why I keep asking, guessing, wondering. Why I don't give up. _

_I suppose it's just who I am._

I close the journal and look at the clock.

_2:40_

Mother would be here soon. She said 2:45, give or take. She said she wanted to show me something that she used to love when she was younger. It's odd to imagine Mother being young, her without the grey streaks in her black hair, the worry lines on her forehead, and the bags under her eyes.

"Olida?" I hear her call from the bottom of the stairs.

"Yeah, Mom." I call, grab my coat, and run downstairs.

"So where are we going?" I ask.

"Just follow me, we have a bit of a walk ahead of us."

"Okay then..."

She heads out the door, and I follow.

** ABCDEFG **

We walk until we reach the edge of a collection of woods. Surrounding, there are metal fence posts, but no fence. I wonder what's so special about this place, why did she bring me _here_ of all places?

"Uh... Mom? Why are we at another forest, with creepy fence-posts around the borders?" I ask hesitantly.

Surprisingly, she laughs. "Olida, we didn't walk that far. This is the same forest by our home, just a different section. Closer to what I'd like to show you."

"Can you tell me what we're going to be seeing yet?"

"No, I'd rather show you... Come on, we have more walking to do."

Well that's frustrating, why can't she just give me a clue? Or something to expect.. I'd rather not go into this blindly. Yet, I still walk after her. I'm extremely curious to see what's in store.

** ABCDEFG **

It's surprising how agile my mother still is after all these years. She may be old, but she walks effortlessly amongst the trees, her feet making next-to-no noise on the dry autumn leaves that litter the ground. I practically have to jog to keep up with her, she's moving so quick. We enter a clearing containing a small lake and a crumbling cabin, and my mother stops.

"Is this what you wanted to show me?" I ask her, confused. Theres clearings and bodies of water all over these forests, why is this one so important?

"Yes," she says softly, as if remembering better days, times she was nastalgic for. "Olida, this is where my father used to take me when we had a chance. We would swim in this lake, and dig up the Katniss Tubers that grow around it. Then he'd shoot some of the water fowl, and sometimes we'd even spend time in that old cabin. When we'd go home for the day, my mother would make a special stew from what we'd collected throughout the day, and she would pretend to be astonished at how clean I was after the swim."

Oh. Now I understand why this would be so important to her... I never even heard about my grandfather before, and even grandmother is still a touchy subject. She's not even dead yet, as far as I'd heard.

"That's why you wanted to show me?" I ask, very quietly.

"Well, to tell you that, and more. You still have a ton to learn about my past... Your father and I should've told you as you grew up."

Well, I won't call her out on that, but it's beyond true.

"So... What else did you want to tell me?" I question.

"Nothing today. Today I want to teach you how to shoot."

Shoot? She couldn't mean... Bow and arrows? Sure enough, she took off her coat and brought out a bow with a sheath of arrows.

"Mom," I breathe, "are you sure?"

My mother is handing me a weapon. With plenty of ammunition. And a free reign on it... Yet another _why_ to add to my collection.

She must have seen my worried expression, "Don't worry, I'll teach you. And I dont expect you to be good at it right away; maybe not ever. It depends how much you commit."

I give her a hug, and she jumps a little out of shock.

"Thank you." I say. After all, I used to dream of being like my mother, amazing at shooting, with incredible aim. I would fantasize her teaching me... But now it's reality and I can't wrap my head around it. Life is confusing, but this is completely unexpected. She went from being barely-there to friend in just a week.

I kinda like that idea.

**Okay, it's short. Oh well! :P Soon, my friends. Soon we shall begin the action and romance and interesting stuff! WHAHAHAHA! Okay, I need a name for Oli's best friend. Girl name please! First and last, if you don't mind... Thank you!**

**ANONS**

**There are none -.- Only one review for last chapter... So, THANK YOU PercyJacksonsLittleSister for your review :)**

**~La**


	5. Chapter 5

**Happy Labor Day Everyone! Wanna know what I did? My friend Ace and I worked on harvesting honey for about 4-5 hours! It was really fun, and tasty too! :D  
Disclaimer: Well technically... Aw nevermind. I don't wanna get sued or anything.. Meh, I don't own Katniss, Peeta, Annie, or any of the original characters, or Olida, Thomas, and Samon. But I do own the plot! Whaaahaaahaa! :D**

_June 15_

_It's been a week since my mother showed me that lake with the cabin. Since I started learning how to shoot. I'll be honest, archery has become my favorite thing to do in my freetime. But not just because of the weapon. Every other day, my mother takes me to the woods and we practise. As we work, she tells me about her old life, back with her father, or her mother and sister. _

_She's really beginning to open up, especially where Prim and her mother are involved._

_Before, they were unheard-of topics, not even Father would dare bringing them up. Now, I've heard more to their stories than I even thought existed. _

_My grandmother went sick with grief after Grandfather died in the mine explosion. Mother was left to take care of her sister at only age eleven, and Prim was just seven. They were all starved when, one day, Mother was hanging around the bakery searching for scraps in their trash. Father's mother yelled at her, and shooed her off, but Father felt bad. He intentionally burnt two loaves of bread, recieving a beating from his mother. Then he went outside, and threw half a loave to their pigs, and the rest to Mother. _

_A few days later, Mother saw a dandelion and began to hunt. Mother and Father didn't really speak with eachother until their Games._

_Then came the obvious story of Mother and Father's Reaping, Interviews, and Games. After all this, Prim was killed by trick-bombs in the Rebellion. Mother went psycho, and killed President Coin, which set President Snow to laughing himself to death. However, my mother was already sent into a sort of lock-down. After she was set free, they sent her back to District 12, but Grandmother couldn't bear to be there anymore, and mother never heard of her since. _

_Except for one bit of information. Mother knows that Grandmother went to work in a hospitol in District 8. Now, that's community 2,also known as The Industries, made up of Districts 3, 6, and 8. _

_I wish I could meet my Grandmother, but Mother said that she's probably dead by now._

_I've told my best friend all of this, and she's not sure if she can believe it. Her name is Xylia Afra Glade, and her parents are from District 7, hence why her name means "wood-dweller, young deer/color of the earth, and clearing in the woods" _

_As you can see, they're very big on the heritage._

_Xylia has coffee brown hair, tanned skin, and robin's-egg-blue eyes. She's shorter than I am, but she's no midget. Actually, I'd say she's about 5'2". Not that bad for someone our age. She's my best friend because she's nice, funny, and adventurous. She understands my wanting to learn about my parents, because she knows nothing about her relatives either. She lives with her father and step-mother, and knows nothing about her mother or grandparents or anything at all. Her mother named her, though._

_Actually, I'll have to continue this later. Xylia is supposed to be coming to visit soon! Caio for now! (I like rhymes, and poetry too, how 'bout you?)_

I push away a stack of drawings, notes, homework, and scratch paper, and set my journal to the side. Just then, there's a knock at the door.

"Olida! Xylia is here!" my father calls up to me.

"'Kay Dad! Coming!" I yell back, and race out my room and down the stairs. "Hiya!" I grin at my friend.

"Hey, Oli, how's it been?" Xylia laughs, and gives me a hug.

She's big on the hugging.

"Wonderful actually, yourself?"

My dad smiles at us, "I'll leave you girls to catch up now, have fun." Then he turns and leaves.

"Been good, could be worse, could be better. Your room?" Xylia asks me.

"Yep." I respond, and lead the way back upstairs.

When we get to the room, I plop down on my bed, and Xylia closes the door behing us before doing the same.

"So, what's your mother been showing you? I mean, it's been a week and all, things getting interesting yet?"

I beam at her, "They can't get much better! I mean, she spends _loads_ of time with me now, and it's teaching me how to do amazing things that I never thought I'd be able to! I made a bulls-eye shot yesterday, and Mother and I picked enough herbs to feed our house for days. We ended up giving a lot of it to Corin's family, and you'll be getting some before you leave as well. They taste really good..."

She laughs, "I'll take your word for it! Maybe Papa will make some for breakfast tomorrow."

"Oh gosh why didn't I think of that? I'll have to convince Dad to make some too, maybe bake it into a loaf of bread?"

"Your dad makes the best bread; go for it."

"I think I will. Oh my goodness, now I really want bread..."

"Is that all you think about? Food?" Xylia asks, smirking at me.

"I dunno, maybe." I say back, smiling despite myself.

"Hmm... Hey Oli, wanna show me your awesome archery skills?"

"Heck yes! C'mon, lets go get the equipment, then we'll head a little into the woods and I'll set up."

"Why do we have to go in the woods? You live in a huge field!"

"Yeah, and people can walk past and get shot. I'm not a pro or anything."

"Fine, be that way. Let's go to your forest then." She says, sticking out her tongue at me.

I flick her, and head out of the room. The hunting supplies are kept in Mother and Father's room anyways, and that's downstairs.

Oh this is going to be fun. Xylia isn't exactly what one would call 'sane,' and I can't wait to see what she'll do with a bow and arrows. Hopefully she won't start a forest fire... That's a risk I'm willing to take, though. My friend is hilarious, and it'd be a crime to _not_ show her.

Or at least, it wouldn't be as fun.

**I **_**sooo**_** have a problem. I half wanted to make Xylia a Daughter of Demeter, and then a nymph. Wrong series, La. Wrong series. xD Well lemme know what you think! Seriously, I love reviews way more than I should. I might not have enough motivation to update if I don't get any! xD ~La**


	6. Chapter 6

**Heehee my sister has easy homework! I'm so jealous right now... She has to write the letter 'J' ten times. Ah well, enjoy the chapter! Action should start next time... I hope.  
Disclaimer: Why do I have to do this? Agh well, here goes. I no own nothing. At all. Zip. Capiche?**

I bring her to the shallow portion of forest that rests at the edge of my family's property. Just far enough to not shoot any wanderers, but not deep enough to waste time walking, or getting lost. Xylia leans against a tree, looking slightly uneasy, as I set up the targets, and string the bow. Once I finish, I walk back over to her and hand her the weapon. She looks at me, increduously.

"What am I supposed to do with this?" she asks.

"Well, I've already strung it, so all you need to do is draw and shoot. Simple stuff; watch." I take the bow back away from her; simultaneously drawing it back, lifting it up, and shooting. Unfortunately, I miss the bulls-eye by a full inch, yet my friend still looks at me in wonder.

"How did you do that? I mean, it's only been a few days of practice! You're already so good..."

"Well yeah, Mother and I are out here for nearly five hours every-other-day, and most of that time she spends watching me practice whilst telling me about her past! How could I _not_ have improved a little?" I reply, indifferently. She's making me sound amazing, I couldn't even hit the red portion - much less a bulls-eye - today!

"Oli, you're practically a prodigy. It's truly incredible, could you teach me?"

"Xyl, I already told you I would. Now here, I'll teach you how to string on an arrow."

We spend nearly ten minutes working on getting the arrow in position, me giving her step-by-step instructions. You've no idea how many times I had to repeat myself, before she could comprehend and accomplish the step. Finally:

"Yes! I got it! Now can I shoot?" Xylia exclaims, sounding very pleased with herself.

I grin at her excitement, "Sure thing. Just do your best to aim, there's not really any tricks to it. You have to get a sense of your own, and adjust to it as time goes by."

"Okay, tell me when to let go." She says, her voice suddenly quavering. I can't tell if it's from nerves, or excitement, or what.

"Alright. Ready, on the count of three? One... Two... Three!" I count, and at the mark she releases. The arrow flies beautifully... Straight into a bush.

"I did it! I did it!" Xylia cheers, jumping up and down like a child. "Oh Oli, thanks! I actually shot an arrow!"

I chuckle, she acts so immature sometimes, that's one of the things I love about her. She knows how to have fun.

"Yeah, Xyl you did great! But if I don't have all thirty-six arrows back in the sheath Mother won't trust me anymore. We've got to find where you shot it!"

"Right. You go left, I'll go right." She mutters, then walks around the bush, to the right. Sighing, I head left. Leave it to her to...

"Xylia come look!" I laugh outloud, the sight in front of me is priceless!

"You find it?" she asks, walking over.

"Yeah! Jeez Xyl, you actually shot something! Look, it went straight through that tomato." I wheeze through my hysterics.

"Woah, that is so freaking amazing! How did I _do _that?!" she questions, beginning to laugh as well.

We probably would have sat there, laughing like maniacs, for the rest of the night had it not been for my Father.

"Olida! Xylia!" I hear him call from our miniature yard. "Xylia's father will be here soon to bring her home, pack up and come in, alright?"

"Yes Father! We'll be in, in a few minutes." I yell back, through the trees. Leaving my friend to her laughter, I pluck her arrow out of the fruit, and mine from the target. Then, I disassembleeverything, and put it all back into it's respective containers, before returning to Xylia. She's stopped laughing, and is now waiting patiently for me to finish. Or... So it seems.

I beckon to her, and once she nods, I start leading the way back to my home.

"Thanks again," she says as we walk, "that was really fun."

I grin, "No problem, maybe next time you comeover we could try again, only attach a tomato to that target. Maybe then you'd hit it?"

She flicks my cheek, laughing. "Shut up, Oli_da_, I'm not _that_ terrible! It was just an accident."

"Take a joke, Xyl. I was teasing you."

"Gosh, I knew that. C'mon, I think my father is here."

I give her a fleeting hug, "Bye, see you in a few days. You place, right?"

"You bet. Good luck with... Well everything." She says, hugging me back.

"Thanks, you too." I respond, letting go.

"Bye Oli."

**~ Iine break ~**

_June 16_

_Samon and Aunt Annie are coming over today. I will have to keep Samon occupied, despite the fact that he's a boy, and he's older and into different things. Thomas is going to Corin's house again, for his friend's birthday celebration. Corinis turning thirteen, being exactly one month older than Tom._

_Hopefully, Annie won't stay too long. I don't think I could handle mother going back to her reclusive state. Not after she's finally opened up to me. _

I glance at the clock, sighing. They should be here in about five minutes, I might as well brush out my hair one last time, and head downstairs. Mother likes me to look nice when visitors come, it's one of the few things she's insisted upon over the years.

There's a knock on the door downstairs, and I hear Mother open it. That's different, usually it's Father who will answer. Mother must really be changing; hopefully for the better.


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry it's late. I have no time what-so-ever for anything anymore.. I feel horrible! But if this is put aside for a while... You know why. I need to finish my MoA before I can focus on this, and I REALLY want to focus soley on this. **

**Disclaimer: I wish I did own it HG! But I dont.**

Samon and I are out in the shallow area of the forest behind my house. He had offered to go farther, but I know he wouldn't feel comfortable with it. Also, who knows when Annie will decide it's time to leave? It's better to stay in sight of the house.

"So, Mother tells me that you're studying to be a doctor?" I say, making small-talk. The sooner this is over, the better. Samon isn't exactly _fun_ to be around, he's usually dead-serious about everything, and when he is fun, it's the rowdy and obnoxious type.

He looks at me, curiously. As if seeing me for the first time. Suddenly, I feel almost self-concious. That's stupid...

"Yes, I aspire to get a career in the medical field. Why do you ask?" He wonders.

See? Fancy wording, it would be snooty, if I didn't know better. "Small talk, gosh. Why do you want to be a doctor, anyways?"

"It is for a good cause, to help those in need. My ambition in life is to keep this world on track and maintain a high morale amongst the people, so as to prevent another war. Do you not wish this also?"

Gosh, why must he talk so formally? It's quite annoying. Vaguelly, I wonder how much longer I will have to put up with this. Sometimes, Aunt Annie only stays for ten minutes, sometimes for a few days. Frankly, I'm hoping for the latter.

"The people are already high in morale. It's only been a few decades since the last war, they don't happen that quickly." I reply, shortly.

He already has a comeback, "The last war, happened only seventy-four years after it's successor. Who is to say that they cannot happen quicker than that?"

"Who is to say thay will? What if you pushing the morale makes people restless and bored with life, therefore steepening the rate towards a future war?" I say, voice rising. He's beginning to get me agitated. What kind of conversation is this, anyways? All I asked was why he wanted to be a doctor!

"While that is a possibility, it is highly unlikely. Who protests peace and happiness? Who would be against living a crime and injury free life?"

He is practically yelling now, too. "Anyone who craves a real life and not one acting like a- a- a clone! For goodness sake, Samon, where is the variety in life? It doesn't have to be tragedy, but who doesn't crave adventure and change?" I shout back, my ears flushing red with anger.

"Me." He whispers, "I wish for boring and ordinary and normal. My father lost his life in that war, my mother lost her one way back to sanity. She has never told me this, of course. She never really speaks with me in general. I only know, because I have found my father's diary, and photographs of them together. Keepsakes and memories, and even a few of my mother's journal entries from before her games, and shortly after the wedding, when she was somewhat sane. I do not wish anyone the task of having to go through what I have."

Silence. What do I say to that? He's just poured out his whole life for me to see, and suddenly I _do_ pity him. I had Father, and even Thomas, annoying as he may be. Samon had no one. His father dead, mother insane, no one else to turn to... It's sad. Sad doesn't even cover it enough... It's downright depressing. I find myself wondering, _how did he live through it?_, and suddenly I realise just how torn up and tough he must be inside. And I'm impressed.

"I'm sorry, Samon. I truly am." I whisper back, and find myself hugging him.

"It is not your fault, Olida. Do not pity me, you go through similar things. Just do not wish for anything that you are not prepared for. Excitement and change come with fear and tragedy, do not forget that," he says simply, and pulls away. "Come along, I believe that I hear my mother calling for me. She must be ready to go home now."

I listen closer, and hear that he's right. Annie's sweet yet cracked and manic voice is calling out his name. That was a short visit, I wonder what happened...

"Bye Samon, c'mon and I'll walk you back to the house.." I say, because it's manners, not because I want to. If it were up to me, I'd live out here, staring at the stars all night, hunting... Just being free and adventurous. Being myself, like I wish for.

**Lineybreakey**

_June 17_

_Damn. Why oh why did I have to wish for interesting and different.. _

_We just got the news, Samon and Aunt Annie got caught up in a storm on the way home, and they're missing. Mother has locked herself in her room again, and I can hear her crying from my own room. Father is attempting to calm her, but Annie was his friend too. I could see, before he went to console Mother, that he is barely keeping a calm face himself. _

_Why did I have to wish for that? It's not what I meant by interesting! I feel horrid, like it's my fault, although I know that it can't be. After all, how can one wish cause a catastrophy? _

**It's short. Im so so so sorry! But I needed the cliffy, and the sweet moments and everything, and I will try to be back next... Thursday? I think. I'll miss you all! :( ~La**


End file.
